> NEW CATHOLIC SCHOOL

Is Hilltown a possibility?

By MARK D. MAROTTA

Staff Writer

Without plans for a proposed Catholic school formally submitted, Hilltown Township has not begun considering how its infrastructure would be affected.

In August, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia issued a survey seeking public input on the question of whether a school in Hilltown should replace Lansdale Catholic.  The proposed facility, costing an estimated $45 million, would be located on 63 acres on Route 152, between Rickert and Creamery roads.

“We’ve been made aware that the archdiocese is doing a survey, and that the archdiocese is in essence exploring the possibilities.  Until such time that that becomes a reality, we really won’t put that into the formal review process,” said supervisors Vice Chairman Richard Manfredi, speaking by phone Wednesday evening.

“There is water nearby.  Sewer would have to be run there and, you know the issues of police and all of that are all issues that would have to be addressed during any land development process, and I will have to explore to find out if current zoning would take an institution of this type,” Manfredi said.

Township Manager Kenneth Bennington said an institutional school use is permitted under the property’s Rural Residential zoning designation.

He said that there was no provision under the township’s Act 537 plan for sewer service to be extended to the tract.

According to the state Department of Environmental Protection’s Web site, Act 537 requires municipalities to “plan for the orderly provision of sewage services.”

Bennington said there was no reason for the township to look ahead at the school’s possible impact.

“At this point, we have nothing from the archdiocese,” he said.

Donna Farrell, director of communications for the archdiocese, confirmed that it has not submitted any plans for the school to the township.

Farrell said that she could not say how sewer service would be provided to the site, or how it would affect the project cost.

“We’re not prepared to talk about any specific plans,” she said.

According to a survey developed by the Friends and Alumni of LC Inc., 77 percent of respondents cited safe highways as a “very important” factor to consider if students are to be driving to school.

Representatives of the alumni group appeared before Lansdale Borough Council to seek support for keeping the high school at its current location.

“I just don’t think the infrastructure’s there,” Larry O’Malley, the alumni group’s Web master, said in a telephone interview Thursday. “The roads are very narrow.”

Hilltown police Chief Christopher Engelhart said by telephone Thursday he was sure his department, which currently has 19 officers, would be affected by a new school.

“I am sure there would be an impact,” he said.

However, Engelhart said, “this is so preliminary.”

Staff Writer Mark D. Marotta can be reached at (215)361-8827; mmarotta@the reporteronline.com